This invention relates generally to a rotary engine and, more particularly, to a jet-propelled rotary heat engine.
Producing motive power through the reactive force of jets has long been known. For instance, Goddard, U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,166 discloses a turbine in which the reactions of high velocity jets are used to effect rotation of a turbine; Howard, U.S. Pat No. 2,603,947 discloses a ram jet arrangement for rotation in a continuous combustion type generator; Goddard, U.S. Pat No. 2,544,420 discloses a combustion chamber used to provide rotational power in a propulsion apparatus such as in driving a propeller shaft; and Hart, U.S. Pat No. 2,499,863 discloses a rotary jet propelled motor.
However, jet-propelled rotary engines have not been incorporated in practical power plants or engines on a wide-scale basis because of the inefficiency of these prior art engines.
Thus, among the several objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a jet-propelled rotary engine which may be operated more efficiently than prior art jet-propelled rotary engines; the provision of such a jet-propelled rotary engine having a jet assembly configured for increasing the kinetic energy of thrust matter (i.e., combustion reaction products and non-reaction matter, such as nitrogen, excess oxygen, water, etc) passing through and discharged from the jet assembly; the provision of such a jet-propelled rotary engine in which heat energy from the thrust matter is converted to kinetic energy; the provision of such a jet-propelled rotary engine in which drag on the rotor is reduced; the provision of such a jet-propelled rotary engine which minimizes failure of the engine; and the provision of such a jet-propelled rotary engine which uses lightweight materials to reduce the centrifugal force encountered at high rotational speeds.
Generally, a jet-propelled rotary engine of the present invention comprises a housing, a rotor journalled to the housing for rotation of the rotor about an axis, and at least one jet assembly secured to the periphery of the rotor and adapted for combustion of a pressurized oxygen-fuel mixture. The jet assembly includes a hollow body having a closed leading end and an open trailing end downstream of the leading end. The hollow body defines a chamber having a combustion region in which the pressurized oxygen-fuel mixture reacts during combustion to form combustion reaction products, a throat region downstream of the combustion region, a converging region extending from the combustion region to the throat region, and a diverging region extending from the throat region to the trailing end. The combustion reaction products form at least a part of thrust matter passing through the hollow body and discharged therefrom. The converging and diverging regions are configured for increasing the kinetic energy of and expanding the thrust matter. The trailing end defines a discharge port for high speed discharge of a jet stream of the thrust matter from the discharge port generally along a line tangent to the rotor periphery for turning the rotor. The converging region is shaped such that a curve defined by the locus of centroids of transverse cross-sectional areas of the converging region slopes radially outwardly relative to the tangent line.
The method of the present invention comprises the steps of introducing a pressurized oxygen-fuel mixture to the combustion region of the chamber, burning the oxygen-fuel mixture in the combustion region to form thrust matter, introducing water to the chamber for vaporization by the hot thrust matter, and increasing the kinetic energy of and expanding the thrust matter and vaporized water through the converging and diverging regions of the chamber.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.